Read the Petition

We, the people of Florida, urge the Constitution Revision Commission to place open primaries Proposal 62 submitted by Commissioner Schifino on the 2018 ballot.

Our closed party primary system is out of date and is failing the people of Florida. Over 3.4 million independent voters are locked out of Florida’s primary elections -- often the only meaningful round of voting.

Florida taxpayers fund the primaries to the tune of $13 million dollars. Publicly funded elections should be open to all voters.

73% of Florida voters want the Commission to put an open primaries measure on the ballot. Open primaries was one of the most discussed topics during the public hearings.

Proposal 62 by Commissioner William Schifino was carefully considered by the Commission’s Ethics and Elections Committee, where it passed 6 to 3. It would create an open primary where all candidates would be listed on a single ballot, and all voters have the freedom to vote for whomever they want. The two most popular candidates would go on to the general election.

Despite the overwhelming popular support and the extensive work on Proposal 62, a second unrelated committee rejected the proposal with less than one hour of discussion. We ask you, the 37 members of the Constitution Revision Commission, which every 20 years is tasked with modernizing our Constitution, to reconsider Proposal 62 and put it on the ballot for the voters to decide.